Research magazine Horizons

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The research magazine Horizons offers an overview of research activities in Switzerland. Horizons is published jointly by the SNSF and the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences. Four times a year it reports on the latest developments in all scientific disciplines: from biology, medicine and social and cultural sciences through to mathematics and the natural sciences.

Learn more about the fascinating and inspiring world of science: what are the drivers of progress in medical research? What sources of energy can we use? Which issues will preoccupy future generations?

What’s a country to do with a spare ten billion? Bid to host the Olympic Games, finance a new airport? Build a hydroelectric dam, commission an aircraft carrier? How about a state-of-the-art space telescope?

What’s a country to do with a spare ten billion? Bid to host the Olympic Games, finance a new airport? Build a hydroelectric dam, commission an aircraft carrier? How about a state-of-the-art space telescope?

It’s getting more and more difficult for experts to get their arguments across to a broad public. We investigate why and offer advanced instructions for imparting knowledge: getting scientists heard amidst the noise of fake news. Read more in the current issue of the science magazine "Horizons".

It’s getting more and more difficult for experts to get their arguments across to a broad public. We investigate why and offer advanced instructions for imparting knowledge: getting scientists heard amidst the noise of fake news. Read more in the current issue of the science magazine "Horizons".

Given the potentially catastrophic consequences, is it right for finance to carry on in this way? Just like aviation, economics is a science capable of advancement. It must progress first and foremost towards societal relevance, just as it must seriously render the economic system less fragile. The walls between schools of thought must be torn down, and the repeatedly exposed dogmas placed at arm’s length, in particular ‘efficient markets’ and Homo oeconomicus, neither of which actually exist.

Given the potentially catastrophic consequences, is it right for finance to carry on in this way? Just like aviation, economics is a science capable of advancement. It must progress first and foremost towards societal relevance, just as it must seriously render the economic system less fragile. The walls between schools of thought must be torn down, and the repeatedly exposed dogmas placed at arm’s length, in particular ‘efficient markets’ and Homo oeconomicus, neither of which actually exist.

Horizons takes a look at the automation of research: using robots to speed up laboratory work, artificial intelligence to process floods of data and algorithms to analyse the scientific literature. Does it work? And is it a good idea?

Horizons takes a look at the automation of research: using robots to speed up laboratory work, artificial intelligence to process floods of data and algorithms to analyse the scientific literature. Does it work? And is it a good idea?

Horizons is embracing impermanence and the inevitability of death. But when exactly does life end? How does our society deal with dying and death? And how much self-determination is there in a living will?

Horizons is embracing impermanence and the inevitability of death. But when exactly does life end? How does our society deal with dying and death? And how much self-determination is there in a living will?

Science is global. Many people assume this means prestigious research partnerships between Western universities, perhaps also involving Asian institutions. But that eliminates half the world from the equation.

Science is global. Many people assume this means prestigious research partnerships between Western universities, perhaps also involving Asian institutions. But that eliminates half the world from the equation.

Swiss legislators are currently debating dual-use goods, such as the kitchen knife, the perfect example of a product that is both utensil and weapon. They’re trying to find a solution to the inevitable moral issues that arise out of legislating the arms trade, in particular defining categories of military goods and of authorised export-destination countries.

Swiss legislators are currently debating dual-use goods, such as the kitchen knife, the perfect example of a product that is both utensil and weapon. They’re trying to find a solution to the inevitable moral issues that arise out of legislating the arms trade, in particular defining categories of military goods and of authorised export-destination countries.

Science is taking a hard look in the mirror, and it’s for the best. The problems it faces are increasingly clear: reproducibility, fraud and statistical bias, to name but a few. Back in 2013 the news magazine The Economist featured the front-page headline “How Science Goes Wrong”. For sure, it may be somewhat alarmist to talk about ‘a crisis of science’, but it does embody the idea behind the critical, unwavering view of the scientific community on the state of affairs in its own house.

Science is taking a hard look in the mirror, and it’s for the best. The problems it faces are increasingly clear: reproducibility, fraud and statistical bias, to name but a few. Back in 2013 the news magazine The Economist featured the front-page headline “How Science Goes Wrong”. For sure, it may be somewhat alarmist to talk about ‘a crisis of science’, but it does embody the idea behind the critical, unwavering view of the scientific community on the state of affairs in its own house.

Governments are ever more dependent on scientific expertise, but many researchers hesitate to become politically active themselves. Horizons offers three perspectives on this complex relationship, including an interview with the politician and physician Felix Gutzwiller, who argues in favour of having more researchers in parliament. Other articles analyse independence-seeking parties in Europe, explore the world’s largest underwater caves, examine the history of crime in the US and explain how Switzerland assumed a central role in the fight against Ebola.

Governments are ever more dependent on scientific expertise, but many researchers hesitate to become politically active themselves. Horizons offers three perspectives on this complex relationship, including an interview with the politician and physician Felix Gutzwiller, who argues in favour of having more researchers in parliament. Other articles analyse independence-seeking parties in Europe, explore the world’s largest underwater caves, examine the history of crime in the US and explain how Switzerland assumed a central role in the fight against Ebola.

How do global environmental change and particularly climate change influence migration patterns in develop- ing countries? This question is increasingly receiving at- tention up to the highest political levels. The present fact sheet summarises state-of-the-art scientific knowledge that can help to find answers, and it assesses how the issue affects Switzerland and its policies on migration, asylum, and development cooperation.Most studies’ findings suggest that Switzerland will not be flooded with masses of environmental refugees. Population movements that are triggered by climatic factors occur mainly across short distances – within states and, to a lesser degree, between neighbouring states. Switzerland’s main challenge is to provide as- sistance in the countries and regions affected.

How do global environmental change and particularly climate change influence migration patterns in develop- ing countries? This question is increasingly receiving at- tention up to the highest political levels. The present fact sheet summarises state-of-the-art scientific knowledge that can help to find answers, and it assesses how the issue affects Switzerland and its policies on migration, asylum, and development cooperation.Most studies’ findings suggest that Switzerland will not be flooded with masses of environmental refugees. Population movements that are triggered by climatic factors occur mainly across short distances – within states and, to a lesser degree, between neighbouring states. Switzerland’s main challenge is to provide as- sistance in the countries and regions affected.